Heights wins ninth straight

I've seen it happen before, Talented Detroit teams come to Muskegon Heights, and the poor kids have no idea what they're getting into. They find out the Westsiders are just as tough -- maybe tougher -- and just as fast -- maybe faster -- as their Motor City peers.

There's no doubt Muskegon Heights was faster than Academy of Oak Park on Friday, putting away this quality Class B team with nearly 70-percent second-half shooting to win its ninth straight game 81-66.

The Tigers' 5-8 senior Ricarri Stimage, 6-2 senior Sean Davis, 6-2 junior Jamil Thornton and 5-11 senior LeMarcus Beckem are just startling with the way they transition into offense. Stimage is so quick with the ball, good luck trying to catch up to even just foul him. Davis, as slender as Ricarri but six inches taller, is a smooth, floating lefty slasher. They both scored 18 points. Stimage and Thornton teamed up for an amazing play. At the end of the first quarter, Stimage got the ball at the Rams' free throw line, kicked it ahead to Thornton, who dunked before the horn -- in all of 2.5 seconds! Thornton finished with 14 points -- on 6-of-7 shooting in just 15 minutes on the court.

Beckem didn't score much, but he plays above the rim while standing under 6-feet. A Heights player to watch in the future is Deontae Hudson, a well-built 6-4 sophomore. 6-6 junior Julian Plummer gives the Tigers some girth in the post. Being a half-step slower than his teammates is kind of advantageous for Plummer, as sometimes he's moving at the speed of the ball and everyone else's timing is too quick to get it off the boards. Overall, though, the team's quickness to the ball allow it to rebound adequately despite its lack of height or beef, everyone chips in and pulls their weight on the glass.

Academy of Oak Park trailed just 36-31 at the half. Recently eligible Dmitri Abner, a transfer from Detroit Northwestern, kept it close, scoring 14 before the break. Abner, a 6-4 junior, is a power finisher and another potential high-major prospect in the state's loaded 2010 class. But he's not creative with the ball, making him totally reliant on teammates for those dunks. In the second half, he just didn't see the ball, and finished with 16.